The Fourth

Just a few of our July 4th moments...

I think this really captures Payton's smile...haha.

It's heating up!

The exersaucer has been collecting some dust, but last weekend Greg and I were washing cars and she woke up from her nap. I was trying to think of something to keep her contained while we finished up. I thought exersaucer, fan, apple juice popsicles!! The popsicles kept her happy, but she got over the exersaucer pretty quick.



Just after Payton's birthday we bought a baby pool and she has been terrified of it. Anytime we would walk close to it, she clung onto us and started crying. Greg decided to get in with her and she completely changed her thinking about her pool. She loved it!!

She is into everything now and I often find Payton pulling everything out of cabinets, drawers, and closets. I usually end up picking up about 50 of these messes a day :)

snaggle tooth

Working in the dental field, of course I check Payton's teeth all of the time. She is going to be one tough patient, because she never lets me look!!! I wanted to capture her snaggle tooth because it is coming in totally out of order. She said she wanted to be just like her Uncle Grant. It looks like the exact tooth on the other side is also coming in before her front teeth. Still no front teeth on top!!

Here are some other random photos. The first two is of Payton and Greg running through the sprinklers in her favorite cozy coupe. The last picture is how I usually find Payton during nap time. This time she is taking after Auntie M.

We have a walker!!!

I can't believe the progress Payton has made. Yesterday, I counted 30 steps. This video isn't one of her best walking, but it shows how excited she gets when she is on her feet!!

She is a little better walker with her stroller :)

first steps...

Payton officially took her first step on Wednesday, May 19th. We are now at around 5 steps all be herself. She is still unstable but it is the cutest thing ever. She is so proud of herself. Last night we went to my favorite Mexican restaurant as a family and Payton wanted to walk out. Here she is with her daddy holding up traffic in the parking lot.

One year

I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. It is so hard to believe that exactly one year ago Payton was born. She has been such an amazing blessing to Greg and me. She is so amazing and we realize how awesome God is to give us such a gift. I cherish everything about Payton. I love how she is so strong-willed, how her eyes squint when she smiles and laughs, her pudgy belly, her crooked toe (some people might not know that about her), how excited she is to see you in the morning when she wakes up, when her arms go up because she wants us to hold her, when she is done eating she starts throwing her food over her high chair, how she lights up when Greg comes home, how she starts panting when she gets excited, when she dances and rocks back and forth when a song comes on that she likes, how she can turn on tears and then turn on her smile within seconds, when she fake laughs, and when she whispers "tat, tat, tat" when Stewart walks by and then proceeds to chase him. Those are just a few of the hundreds of things we love about our Payton...aka Papers, Pay-pay and Papes!!!

We had her first birthday party on Saturday. I captured some of my favorite moments. I made Payton her own little cake and she didn't destroy it, so Greg had to shove her hands in it (too funny). It was so great to have family and friends all together to celebrate her life. Today we took her to the Zoo with Brian and Mindy. We had a terrific weekend...needless to say, we are all exhausted.

We tried....

This is our attempt to get Payton's first pictures with bluebonnets, the Texas state flower. It was just Payton and me, so next time I think we will be bringing someone with us for some distractions.